Cardinals To Sign DT Justin Jones
Continuing to add to the defensive line, the Cardinals are set to bring in Justin Jones. The veteran defensive tackle has agreed to a three-year, $30.1MM deal including $19.75MM guaranteed, per NFL Network’s Peter Schrager.
Jones is coming off a productive two-year stint in Chicago. The defensive tackle started all 34 games for the Bears over the past two years, collecting 7.5 sacks. While his 2023 counting stats (17 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss) were encouraging, Pro Football Focus only ranked the veteran 107th among 130 qualifying interior defenders.
Jones started his career with the Chargers. The former third-round pick started 35 of his 51 appearances in Los Angeles, collecting 4.5 total sacks. He ended up parlaying that performance into a two-year deal with Chicago, and he’ll be earning even more this time around from Arizona.
The Cardinals have been busy adding to their defensive line corps today, as they also agreed to a deal with defensive tackle Bilal Nichols. The two additions will join a defensive line rotation that also features Dante Stills and L.J. Collier.
Titans To Sign CB Chidobe Awuzie
Chidobe Awuzie will follow Brian Callahan from Cincinnati to Tennessee. The veteran corner has agreed to a three-year deal with the Titans, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.
After Awuzie served as a vital presence in Cincinnati during its Super Bowl LVI run, the Bengals saw this contract deliver diminishing returns over the following two years. A Halloween 2022 ACL tear threw Awuzie off track, and after he returned in time for Week 1 in 2023, Lou Anarumo benched the former second-rounder around midseason.
The 6-foot defender received a second chance down the stretch and fared better. Awuzie played at least 97% of the Bengals’ defensive snaps in five of six games from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. Still, with the Bengals having drafted two outside CBs early in the past two drafts (Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner), it was clear his future wasn’t in Cincy.
As Callahan looks to fill out his first Titans squad, the former Bengals OC was surely looking for some reinforcement at cornerback. Kristian Fulton isn’t expected to be back in Tennesee next season while Sean Murphy-Bunting left to join the Cardinals.
The Titans can hang their hat on Pro Football Focus grading Awuzie 14th in 2021 and 33rd prior to his ACL tear. He’ll also be nearly two years removed from the injury next season, reducing any health concerns.
49ers, DE Leonard Floyd Agree To Deal
After moving on from a longtime contributor along the defensive line, the 49ers will make a notable addition. Leonard Floyd has agreed to a deal with San Francisco, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Floyd was among the several late-20s or early-30s edge rushers who needed to wait out a cold market last year. His May Bills agreement broke the ice, with the perennial AFC East champs landing the Rams cap casualty for just $7MM. Last year showed Floyd was not merely an Aaron Donald beneficiary, with the pass rusher tying a career-high with 10.5 sacks.
Once run out of Chicago for failing to deliver on his draft status, Floyd has proven to be one of the 2020s’ steadiest edge players. The former top prospect has finished with between nine and 10.5 sacks in each of the past four seasons, and his consistency was expected to make him a popular name on the market.
While Floyd could have profiled as a team’s top edge rusher, he’ll be playing second fiddle to Nick Bosa in San Francisco. The 49ers have been seeking a dependable source of sacks opposite their star pass rusher, with the team trying out the likes of Dee Ford, Samson Ebukam, Drake Jackson, Clelin Ferrell, and Chase Young at the second spot on the depth chart. Now, they’ll have an elite option playing opposite Bosa.
The 49ers clearly made Floyd a priority to fill the hole on their depth chart. New assistant coach Brandon Staley is plenty familiar with his new pass rusher; Staley was the Rams defensive coordinator when the two were in Los Angeles together, and Staley also served as the OLBs coach when the two were in Chicago.
Bucs To Re-Sign DT Greg Gaines
Having taken care of their top offseason priorities with respect to retaining incumbent players, the Buccaneers are turning their attention to depth contributors. Defensive tackle Greg Gaines is re-signing on a one-year deal, per the 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov.
Gaines joined the Buccaneers last offseason on a one-year, $3.5MM deal. The defensive lineman will now stick around Tampa Bay for a second season with the organization.
Gaines emerged as a dependable defensive piece for the Buccaneers, getting into 17 games (two starts) while appearing in more than 40 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. He finished the regular season with 24 tackles and one sack, and he added another sack in two playoff games. Pro Football Focus only ranked Gaines 94th among 130 qualifying interior defenders, although the site was much higher on his performance early in his career.
The former fourth-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Rams. He started 25 games for the organization between 2021 and 2022, compiling 8.5 sacks between those two campaigns.
Gaines will likely continue serving as an important depth piece behind Vita Vea in Tampa Bay. Greg Auman of FOX Sports opines that Gaines’ new contract could mean that Will Gholston isn’t back with the organization next season.
Colts To Re-Sign DT Grover Stewart, DE Tyquan Lewis
Two key pieces of the Colts’ defense will remain in place for 2024 and beyond. Defensive tackle Grover Stewart is re-signing on a three-year, $39MM deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Meanwhile, defensive end Tyquan Lewis has re-upped on a new deal, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The latter’s pact is two years in length, per Joel Erickson of the Indy Star.
Stewart’s $13MM-per-year accord will bring $25.73MM guaranteed, topping his previous Colts contract in that department. In terms of full guarantees, Stewart will see $17.99MM. Stewart’s 2025 salary ($7.74MM) becomes guaranteed on Day 3 of the 2025 league year, per the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson, though the team guaranteed the DT’s 2025 roster bonus ($4MM) at signing. That provides a fairly good indication he will be with the Colts next year.
Stewart was one of the best defensive tackles set to reach the market in 2024. Especially with Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins landing monster deals of their own, the 30-year-old could have fared well on the open market. Instead, he will remain an integral part of the Colts’ D-line.
A durable inside presence, Stewart incurred a six-game PED suspension last year. The veteran’s absence showed against the run. Colts allowed 107.9 rushing yards per game with Stewart suited up; during his six-game ban, Indianapolis yielded 153 on the ground. The veteran DT also provided some support in the pass rush, totaling four sacks in 2022 and a career-high eight QB hits in his suspension-abbreviated slate.
Stewart will turn 31 later this year, limiting the length on his next contract. There was some belief that the former fourth-round pick could approach the three-year, $30.75MM extension he signed with the organization following his rookie contract. Stewart managed to top that pact in terms of total money, and he earned the same term.
Lewis was a second-round pick by the Colts in 2018, but he’s struggled to provide the upside the organization surely envisioned. The defensive lineman has started only 16 of his 65 regular season games, and he’s missed major chunks of games in four of his six professional seasons.
Fortunately for the player’s free agency fortunes, he had one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2023. Lewis got into all 17 games for Indy, finishing with career highs in tackles (25), tackles for loss (nine), QB hits (13), and sacks (four, tie).
Giants, RB Devin Singletary Agree To Deal
Not long after losing Saquon Barkley, the Giants have found a replacement. Devin Singletary has agreed to a deal with New York, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes the three-year pact has a base value of $16.5MM and it can reach up to $19.5MM via incentives. That marks a major raise compared to the one-year accord Singletary played on in Houston last season. He took on lead back duties midway through the 2023 season, and he has now parlayed that into a multi-year deal.
In terms of guarantees, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan adds Singletary secured $9.5MM locked in at signing. This includes $3.5MM of the 5-foot-7 back’s 2025 base salary ($4.75). This stands to give the ex-Bills draftee a reasonable shot at being part of the 2025 Giants’ roster.
The former fourth-round pick started 56 games through four seasons in Buffalo, topping 900 yards from scrimmage in each of those campaigns. Despite showing some ability in both the run and pass game, Singletary’s lack of top-level consistency led to him settling for a one-year contract with the Texans last offseason.
Singletary was expected to be a backup to Dameon Pierce, who was coming off a productive rookie campaign. However, the sophomore RB couldn’t carry that production into 2023, forcing Singletary into a larger role than expected. The veteran ended up starting 10 of his 17 appearances, finishing with 1,091 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns.
He parlayed that performance into a three-year deal with the Giants, where he’ll temporarily sit atop the depth chart. With Barkley out of the picture and Matt Breida also sitting in free agency, Singletary will surely be penciled in for the RB1 role ahead of the likes of Gary Brightwell and Eric Gray, although the team could look to add additional depth either via free agency or the draft.
Texans Expected To Sign DE Denico Autry
Houston’s defensive rebuilding efforts continue. The Texans are expected to add defensive end Denico Autry, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The deal is two years in length and is worth $20MM, colleague Tom Pelissero adds. $10.5MM is guaranteed.
Autry spent the past three seasons with the Texans’ division rivals in Tennessee. The pass-rusher originally joined the Titans in 2021, signing a three-year, $21.5MM deal. Entering his age-34 season, Autry was able to top that AAV during his latest trip to free agency.
The defensive lineman started 33 of his 46 appearances for the Titans, averaging more than nine sacks per season. This included a 2023 campaign where the veteran finished with a career-high 11.5 sacks to go along with 50 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. Despite the counting stats, Autry only ranked 78th among 112 qualifying edge defenders this past season, per Pro Football Focus.
Prior to his stint with the Titans, Autry spent time with the Raiders and Colts. He has 59 sacks on his resume, and he’s added another four sacks in five career playoff games.
Texans, CB Jeff Okudah Agree To Deal; Team To Add CB Mike Ford
Jeff Okudah has a deal in place with the Texans. The former first-round corner is set to join Houston, as first reported by Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. The one-year deal is worth $4.75MM with $2.5MM guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 adds.
Veteran corner Mike Ford is also on his way to Houston. Ford will receive $4.5MM on a two-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
The third-overall pick in the 2020 draft, Okudah struggled during his time in Detroit. He started six of his nine appearances as a rookie before a ruptured Achilles tendon limited him to only one game in 2021. He managed to get into 15 games for the Lions in 2022, finishing with 73 tackles and one interception.
He was shipped to the Falcons last offseason for a fifth-round pick, and Okudah once again struggled to carve out a consistent role. He started nine of his 13 appearances in Atlanta, finishing with 44 tackles.
Ford also got his start in Detroit and was teammates with Okudah in 2020. The former UDFA has bounced around the NFL in recent years, spending time with the Broncos, Falcons, and Browns over the past three years. He started only one of his 16 appearances in Cleveland this past season, finishing with 28 tackles.
Cardinals, DT Bilal Nichols Agree To Deal
Making another move on defense, the Cardinals are set to add Bilal Nichols to the fold. The veteran defensive tackle has agreed to a three-year, $21MM deal which includes $14.4MM in guaranteed money, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
[RELATED: Cardinals To Sign Sean Murphy-Bunting]
Nichols joins the Cardinals after having spent the past two seasons in Las Vegas. He didn’t miss a start for the Raiders, compiling 92 tackles and three sacks in 34 games. He finished this past season ranked 97th among 130 qualifying interior defenders, the third-straight year the site graded him as an average or below-average player at his position.
Still, Nichols brings plenty of starting experience to Arizona. Prior to his stint with the Raiders, the defensive tackle spent four years in Chicago, starting 49 of his 60 appearances. The former fifth-round pick bounced around the defensive line during his time with the Bears, and his versatility could come in handy for his new squad.
The Cardinals were busy adding to their DL mix today, as the team also signed former Bears lineman Justin Jones. The new duo will join a defensive line rotation that also features Dante Stills and L.J. Collier.
Vikings To Sign LB Andrew Van Ginkel
On a day already featuring one major defensive investment, the Vikings will make another. Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel has agreed to a two-year deal worth $20MM. The pact includes $14MM guaranteed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
After re-signing with the Dolphins on a one-year deal last offseason, Van Ginkel proceeded to have one of the best seasons of his career in 2023. The linebacker finished this past season with a career-high six sacks while also compiling some of his best numbers in TFL (eight) and QB hits (19).
Pro Football Focus was especially fond of the player’s performance. Listed as an edge rusher, Van Ginkel was ranked seventh among 112 qualifying players at his position. This included a top-four positional grade for his coverage skills and a top-seven positional grade for his pass-rush ability.
The former fifth-round pick had spent his entire career with the Dolphins, and considering his breakout, there was optimism that he’d stick around Miami. While both sides were reportedly interested in a new deal, it seems like the Vikings swooped in with an offer that the free agent couldn’t refuse.
The Vikings have been busy adding to their pass-rushing corps today. In addition to Van Ginkel, the team also added edge rusher Jonathan Greenard on a sizable four-year, $76MM deal. The two signings likely mean that Danielle Hunter will be heading elsewhere after spending nearly a decade in Minnesota.